Studying at York
Fear and Survival - PSY00068H
- Department: Psychology
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
- See module specification for other years: 2024-25
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2023-24 |
Module aims
Fear might seem to be the most common and straightforward of emotional experiences, but questions remain regarding its nature. What do we find frightening and why? Is fear a universal experience? How do we think, feel, and behave when we are afraid? How do our bodies and brains respond to frightening environments? How do we share our fears with others? And why and how do we use fear to control and even entertain each other? This module will explore each of these questions through the lens of empirical psychological research.
Module learning outcomes
- Provide an account of contemporary models of emotion.
- Describe physiological correlates of fear and related states.
- Discuss the ways in which cognitive functioning may change during threatening experiences.
- Describe the evidence for, and potential benefits of, emotional contagion.
- Discuss theories regarding the use of fear in popular forms of entertainment (e.g. film, gaming, etc.).
Module content
- Innate versus learned fears.
- Models of emotion.
- Psychophysiology and fear-related phenomena
- Fear related behaviour
- The influence of fear on cognition
- Emotional contagion
- Fear as entertainment
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
Module feedback
The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision.
Indicative reading
Non specified.